Little Mermaid Cake

Let's Get Started!

Chocolate Cake

1. Preheat oven to 325F°. Grease and line the princess pans with parchment.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix in the sugars until combined. 
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, water and vanilla. Whisk in the sour cream and oil. 
4. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and while until completely combined. 
5. Pour the batter evenly between the three prepared pans. 
6. Bake the two flat plans for 45 minutes, and the rounded pan for 50 minutes. 
7. Let cakes cool completely.

Salted Chocolate Ganache

1. In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream and salt to a scald.
2. In a medium bowl, add the chocolate chips.
3. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate chips, making sure the chocolate is completely covered, and let sit for 2 minutes. 
4. Whisk until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.
5. Let ganache sit at room temperature for 1 hour, until a spreadable consistency. 

Time To Decorate!

1. Stack the three cakes onto the 12" cake board, spreading a layer of ganache between each layer.
2. Wrap the legs of the barbie with plastic wrap and place in the cake.
3. Carve the cake into a rock shape, and ice the cake with ganache. Chill in the fridge for 1 hour. 
4. Rock: Mix three shades of grey fondant for a marbled look, then roll out to 1/8" thick and press with crumpled aluminum foil to create a rough texture. 
5. Cover the chilled cake with the fondant. 
6. Wave: Roll out the blue fondant to 1/8" thick and cut out a wave shape. Using water as an adhesive, attach the wave to the bottom of the cake. 
7. Sand: Roll out sand colored fondant to 1/8" thick. In a small bowl, mix together 1 teaspoon corn syrup & 1 teaspoon water and spread onto the exposed cake board. Cover exposed cake board with sand colored fondant ant cut off excess. 
8. Brush the sand colored fondant with the corn syrup mixture and sprinkle with crushed graham cracker crumbs.
9. Tail: Using teal fondant, cut out a mermaid tail shape. Smooth out the edges. Cut out two tail fins.
10. Wrap the main mermaid tail around the doll's waist and stick it onto the front of the cake using a paintbrush and water. Attach the fins.
11. Using the #5 piping tip, create half-circle indents on the tail body to look like scales. Using fondant tools, create lines on the tail fins.
12. Using a paintbrush, brush purple & pink edible sparkles onto the tail.
13. Sebastian: Make a small crab with red, black and white fondant. 
14. Flounder: Make a fish with yellow and blue fondant in the mold.
15. Make various seaweeds, corals and anemones out of pink, purple green, red, orange and yellow fondant. 
16. Make the shells using brown and white fondant in the silicone molds.
17. Using royal icing, attach decorations to the bottom of the cake. 
18. Using the glue stick, attach black ribbon around bottom edge of the cake plate.